Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
South America
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Heliotropium
Basella rubra, L.Basella oleracea, Landw.Basella lucida, L.Basella japonica, Burm.f.Basella cordifolia,
Number of Varieties
25010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, tropical environments
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-13-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
12-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24
H1, H2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
66.00 cm2.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
61.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Mealybugs, Spider mites, Whiteflies
Insects, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
-
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Sore throat, Uterine Displacement
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Making Perfumes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for bedding in gardens
Culinary use, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
HELIOTROPIUM arborescens
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Heliotrope, Common Heliotrope, Garden Heliotrope
Ceylon Spinach, Indian Spinach, Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
हेलीओट्रोप
भारतीय पालक
In German
Heliotrop
Indian Spinat
In French
héliotrope
épinards indienne
In Spanish
heliotropo
espinaca india
In Greek
ηλιοτρόπιο
Ινδικό Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
heliotrópio
espinafre indiano
In Polish
heliotrop
Indyjski szpinak
In Latin
Heliotrope
Spinach Indian
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Boraginaceae
Basellaceae
Genus
Heliotropium
Basella
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Heliotropioideae
-
Number of Species
2505
1
27800
👆🏻